Most employment discrimination claims allow an employee to recover lost wages and benefits, including both back pay and front pay. Most claims also permit recovery for emotional distress and punitive damages, the latter of which are designed to punish and deter discriminatory behavior by employers. Some claims don’t allow for emotional distress or punitive damages but instead provide for statutory damages, which are usually a multiple of lost wages and benefits. Lastly, but significantly, because victims of employment discrimination cannot usually afford to pay an attorney out of pocket, the law allows a successful plaintiff to recover attorneys’ fees and costs of suit.
Why should I call an employee discrimination lawyer? Aren’t all lawyers supposed to know all of the laws?
The expression, “jack of all trades and master of none” is a good one here. Employment law is complicated and the law is constantly changing. An attorney who does not focus his or her practice on employment law might not be aware of the many potential procedural and legal traps that await employees in these types of cases. Your workplace rights are too important to trust someone who does not focus their practice on employment law. If you or others feel you may have the ability to make cases for employment discrimination claims, Call an employment discrimination lawyer to protect yourself.
Can I be fired for being a whistleblower at work?
Ohio and federal law prohibit employers from firing employees because they reported discrimination or harassment. If an employee makes a good-faith report of suspected discrimination or harassment, the employer cannot fire the employee or take other negative action that would dissuade a reasonable employee from coming forward because of the report. Many other laws protect employees from retaliation for reporting various other kinds of illegal workplace behavior, including fraud by the government and violations of workplace safety laws.
If you have further questions about employment discrimination or are curious about whether you may have a case, contact the experienced employment attorneys at Bolek Besser Glesius today.
